Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-09-24
SOCIAL CUTTHROATS.
CHARACTERISTICS or A coTERlE
OF NEW YORK WASHERS.

Quiet About Their Villatny=Thc MRsher
with the White LOck-DaiIy Round of
. skinfuI Operator.
'He belongs to curious set of New
York men, - said the judge. 'They are
creatures of recent growth, and doubt
very much if similar specimens of the
genus man can be found anywhere else in
the world. They are called 'mashers' in
a general way, but they are in no sense
like the gorgeous London man who has
given the word 'masher' its highest mean
ing. The British 'masher' is creature
of noble apparel, solemn and dissipated
air, advanced degrees in the courts of
bankruptcy and general impressiveness.
He wears great many suits of clothes
during the week, affects a burlesque
actress and drives dashing traps.
The little circle of Washers in New
York has none of these proclivities. They
are men who have lived on the surface of
the town for many years, whose names
are familiar in all of the restaurants and
clubs, and who have gained in one way
or another regulations as slayers OF feml-
nine hearts, which stand them in enor-
nous value They are not in society,
sneer at the idea of toll, live in the best
possible manner, dress quietly and are
absolutely mum about the numerous
affairs in which they pass their lives. ]
know a dozen men in this particular
crowd but never knew one of them to
break the rules of the peculiar free
masonry which apparently exists among
them to keep quiet about their escapades.
This is the most curious feature OF the
whole thing A masher who does not
talk when success has crowned his efforts
would be rarity anywhere else except
in this extraordinary coterie. They are
queer lot, and can't say that / consider
them credit to the CITY,"
It affords droIl study of human
nature to watch the operations of the
mashers Most of their faces are as
familiar to mp town people as the Fifth
Avenue hotel. Their mode OF life is SIM
pie Take, for instance, a cold and austere
man. with n blonde mustache, a regular
profile, square shoulders and careless car
riace, who has been more or less famous
about town for fifteen years. He has
scar running diagonally across his fore
head, and Just above it is single lock or
'ssplash' of hair that is as white as
snow, though the rest of his hair IS dark.
/ have heard it enviably remarked by
other mashers that this gentleman's chief
success is due to the immobility of his
face, the yellowness of his mustache, the
whitencss of the splash and the dark mass
of hair which throws it into such sharp
relief. He is, i'll fact, known us His
Contrasts" in some quarters. Fifteen
wears ago woman followed him in cab
down Fifth avenue, slipped out as he
ascended the steps of a rivals
house, ran up the steps, and pushing n
revolver against his head, blazed away.
The bullet, instead of going through the
skull, ran across the forehead. She went
to Europe in the arms of her amiable
husband, and ellis Contrasts" retired
into painful obscurity for time. Five
wears after that he was mixed up in
row which is still talked about by old
timers. 1t was three cornered fight
one woman and two men--in the cabin of
a Yacht in the lower bay. When they
dragged 'IIis Contrasts" out he was
pretty well knocked to pieces. Two ribs
were broken, and his general physical
welfare very sensibly impaired, but he
came up smiling, as usual. have known
him for many years. He has but one
object in life.
His manner of living varies little from
day to day have had many opportuDi-
tics for observing him, as we once had
neighborng apartments in the same hotel,
and he used TO amuse himself when he
had an occasional half hour of leisure
from his artluous duties by turning the
pictures in my room wrong side foremost,
bribing the chambermaid to sew the
haugings into all sorts of grotesque posi-
tions, littering my desk with violent tele-
grams and indulging in various other
cheerful and endearing pranks. At 10
O'Clock every morning the chambermaid
pounded loudly at his door.
If the tattoo was loud enough the door
would open suddenly, there would be a
wild scream and pattering of feet as the
chambcrTaaid scudded out of danger, and
the masicr would rush out into the hall
clad in pajamas, bath robes, nightcap, felt
slippers, and carrying sponge the size OF
bushel basket He would then wander
in a more or less desultory way toward the
bathroom. stopping to pound on doors that
caught his 1ightsome fancy, and shying
boots through the transoms of rooms
where mon lived who had the distinguished
misfortune &, poses, his friendship.
About an hour and half later he
would wander into the main dining room
| of the hotel, cast his experienced eye over
the people assembled there aud eat very
| light breakfast He wore a frock suit all
| day long, and his tailor made half dozen
a year for him. After breakfast he in
| variably lighted big cigar, and, If the
weather was clear, strolled up Fifth
avenue rs fssr as Central park, and smiled
amiably upon The troops of pretty girls
who were out with their governessses,
nurses, companions, and chaperones, tax
ing the morning air. Every girl over II
years of aGc apparently knew his history
| for they would stare at him and peer
over their shoulders as he passed, in
fashion that would startle society actor
| AT half past or 2 o'clock he driftef
slowly into Delmonico's, scanned thu
faces, acknowledged the surly mods O
other MASTERS with short inclination o.
his head, picizel out his table with undevi
ating skill, and spent the next two o.
three hours among the wives and daugh
terg OF other men who were down tow
| pursuing the elusive dollar. His habit i
TO eat slowly, and look, with gentle an6
| melancholy mir, from one pair Of pretty